


Should Have

by SeverelyAddictedtoCoffee



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 23:15:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21400246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeverelyAddictedtoCoffee/pseuds/SeverelyAddictedtoCoffee
Summary: Soulmates have limited telepathic connection, that has the ability to get stronger once they know each other. Before they meet they can usually only hear/feel their soulmates extreme emotions and only in quiet conditions like before they go to bed or in their dreams. Soulmates can’t physically harm one another. Not everyone has a soulmate.
Relationships: Damian Wayne/Reader, Robin (DCU)/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 188





	Should Have

**Author's Note:**

> Got this AU from Sheena_Stalwart's fic Spider-Man in a Soulmate AU. (https://archiveofourown.org/works/13048743/chapters/29846883) if you love Peter Parker/Spider-Man give it a read! It's a personal favorite of mine.

Damien Wayne never wanted a soulmate, he would have been perfectly happy not having one. Happier even. But Damien was cursed with the name scribbled across his ribcage that marked him as tethered to another through a soulmate bond.

You had been so happy when you found out you had a soulmate. That there was someone out there meant for you, someone who would accept you no matter what. You could feel his presence in the back of your mind, it wasn’t very strong yet, but you knew it would grow with time. 

By the time you were twelve your bond with Damien had grown enough that you knew how he was feeling most of the time instead of just strong emotions. You always paid great attention to the presence in the back of your mind, and you tried to send comforting thoughts whenever you felt anger or sadness through the bond. You never received any response from Damien, but it didn’t bother you. You understood that the Soulmate bond was harder for some to accept than others, and there had never been a reason for Damien to reach out to you. 

Your life was never difficult, your parents were wealthy Gotham socialites and while they were often busy, they spared you what time they could. You were mostly raised by your nanny, Mira. She was the one who had explained the Soulmate bond to you and encouraged you to be patient with your soulmate. You were always grateful for Mira’s guidance, she was kind, wise, and understanding, everything you aspired to be. 

Your parents were rarely home at the same time, and when they were they always got into terrible fights. These fights frightened you, but Mira was always there to comfort you. She told you that your parent’s fighting was nothing, and reassured you that everything was alright. You believed her for many years, until one day your mother left your father. You were angry and hurt, not only had your mother left your father, but she had left you behind with him. What was worse, Mira had lied, and you had no one to turn to. That night was the first time you tried to speak to Damien through your bond, you hoped maybe he would be there for you.

_ Hello? _

But you received no response, you could feel Damien pulling away, attempting to shield his mind from you. The pain that you had been holding in flowed freely now, for the first time in your life you felt completely alone. You hid in your room, and let sobs rack your body, you let your anguish consume you until you had no more tears to cry. Then you got up from your bed, sitting at your dressing table and staring at your reflection in the large mirror. Your face was red and puffy, your eyes bloodshot, and your hair a complete mess. You went to the bathroom adjoining your room and turned on the shower. Undressing and stepping in you let the water wash away your sadness, you locked away your grief and swore to yourself that you would never let yourself be left again. You embraced the loneliness that had broke your heart and made it your new strength. 

***

A few years passed, you didn’t see your mother, Mira remained your nanny, and the rage your father had focused on your mother turned to you. You were old enough to attend social events with your father, and were expected to behave like the proper young lady you were raised to be. You were to smile and nod, and only speak when spoken to. Sometimes you would make a mistake and see rage flicker in your father’s eyes. Then you knew that you were in trouble. You would spend the rest of the evening in fear of the return home. Inevitably the event would end and once you were home your father would beat you mercilessly, and send you to bed. Mira tried to speak to you, to comfort you and aid but you refused to acknowledge her. She wouldn’t go against your father, she was just as at fault for your pain as he was through her inaction. Damien’s presence in your mind was so weak you could barely feel him there. You doubted he could feel your pain or that he cared at all for your suffering. 

***

When you were sixteen you received an invitation to a Gala being thrown by Bruce Wayne. Your father had attended many of Bruce Wayne’s Galas before but he never brought you along, something which you had always been grateful for. At least you wouldn’t have to confront Damien, wouldn’t have to see your supposed soulmate who wanted nothing to do with you. The invitation was addressed to you personally, it was for the celebration of Damien’s seventeenth birthday. You wanted to crumple up the piece of paper and throw it away, but you knew your father would be displeased if you embarrassed him by refusing a personal invitation from one of Gotham’s most famous socialites. 

You took the invitation and went downstairs to your father’s study. You knocked gently on the door.

“Come in,” your father’s strong, deep voice called out.

You opened the door softly, “Father, I received this invitation today.” 

You handed your father the letter, letting him read it for himself. You had asked your father long ago to spare you from encounters with the Wayne family. You had claimed you didn’t wish to risk embarrassing him in front of such an important family, your father never cared enough to know about your Soulmate. 

“I suppose we shall have to attend,” your father replied.

“As you wish father.”

You left the study and returned to your room. The party was in two weeks’ time and there was much to do, you had to find a present for Damien and an appropriate dress, and prepare yourself to meet your soulmate for the first time. 

Dread pooled in the pit of your stomach, you knew that this Gala would not end well.

***

The evening of the party arrived and you and your father rode in silence all the way to Wayne Manor. You were dressed in a simple red, halter dress and black heels. Your makeup was fairly light with red lipstick that matched your dress. Your hair was done up in a loose bun with small pieces falling in curls around your face. You held on tightly to the gift you had picked for Damien, a pair of golden cufflinks. You hadn’t been able to think of anything else to get for someone who was essentially a stranger.

You walked next to your father as you entered the Manor, painting on a fake and pleasant smile and thanking the man who took your coat and the gift. You followed behind your father as he went to greet the host of the party.

Bruce Wayne stood among a large crowd of men and women, they talked with the civil banter common to aristocrats. To his right stood a stiff looking young man, Damien. Your father made his way to Bruce’s side, with you trailing behind like a shadow.

“Mr. Wayne, thank you for inviting my daughter and me to your party tonight.” 

“Of course, Mr. (l/n). I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your daughter before.” Mr. Wayne held his hand out to you, and you accepted the handshake with a polite smile.”

“(y/n) (l/n),” you introduced yourself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mister Wayne.”

“The pleasure is mine Miss (l/n), have you met my son Damien?” Mr. Wayne stepped back, presenting Damien to you. 

You extended your hand to Damien, “A pleasure to meet you Damien, happy birthday.”

Damien stared at your hand, but after a few long moments of silence he accepted it wordlessly.

You stepped back and music filled the room. 

“Damien, why don’t you and Miss (l/n) go dance for a while?” Mr. Wayne asked. 

You could suddenly feel anger flaring through your Soulmate bond, but Damien took your hand silently and led you out to the dance floor. 

The two of you danced in silence, you could still feel Damien’s rage poking through the wall that had been built between your bond. The song seemed to stretch on forever and eventually you could no longer bare the rage you could feel from him. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you Damien,” you said, smiling politely.

“Why, because we are soulmates?”

You were slightly taken aback, not expecting him to be so blunt.

“Well, yes I suppose,” you didn’t really know how to respond, your carefully smile faltering.

Damien’ anger flared stronger as he responded. “I have no desire to get to know you or for any sort of relationship, I do not want or need a soulmate.”

You felt your heart break. As much as you had sworn that you didn’t care for Damien there had always been a part of you which had held out hope that maybe one day Damien would care for you. Tears began to sting your eyes and you fought to keep them back, the song ended and Damien’s arms fell from you. You stepped back in a daze and accidently bumped into another woman. Startled you tripped and fell. From your position on the floor you looked up at your father and saw the rage in his eyes, fear froze you to the spot. 

You felt a hand on your arm and looked up to see a man you recognized as Richard Grayson, Bruce Wayne’s eldest son, offering you his hand. You accepted his aid and he pulled you to your feet, you thanked Richard and returned to your father. Damien was back at his father’s side as well. 

“Excuse me for a moment,” your father said to Mr. Wayne, taking you by the arm and escorting you away from the party. 

He took you to a quiet room, far from the party.

“What was that (y/n)?!” He stated, his voice was cold and you winced in anticipation of what was to come. He was angry enough that he wasn’t going to wait until you were home, he was going to punish you now. Unfortunately the dress you were wearing restricted the places he could leave bruises to your ribcage and your legs. Panic began to fill you and you did one of the stupidest things you could’ve in that moment.

You spoke.

“Father, I’m sorry. It was an accident!” 

You felt pain radiating from your check as you were knocked to the ground. He had never hit your face before, tears pricked in the corners of your eyes. That was your second mistake, when your father saw them his rage only grew.

“You’ve disrespected me (y/n).” A kick landed square in your ribcage.

“You’ve embarrassed me in front of everyone.” Another kick to your ribs and you were reeling from the pain.

You curled into a ball and waited for the next strike.

But it never came.

You looked up and saw Damien, standing between you and your father. 

There were a million things racing through Damien’s head, and for the first time you could hear them all. There was so much regret, regret for blocking you out, regret for not realizing what you were going through, regret for the way he himself had treated you. 

Your father stared at Damien in shock and horror. 

“I do not believe my father would continue to do business with a man who hits his defenseless daughter.”

Your father just stood there silently as Damien turned to you.

_ I’m so sorry I let him hurt you Beloved. _

It was the first time he had used your bond. He extended his hand out to help you up and you took it gingerly. He gently lifted you up and wrapped his arms around you. Seeing you so small and helpless had stirred something in Damien’s heart and he knew that he would always be there to protect you. You could feel his rage towards your father through your bond, he wanted to beat him like he had beaten you, but he also didn’t want to leave your side. 

_ He’s not worth it Damien, let’s go. _

He looked down into your pleading eyes, all you wanted was to get away from here. Damien turned away from your father and walked with you out of the room, keeping his arm securely around you.

Instead of going back to the party, Damien picked you up, careful to avoid the sore spots on your ribs, and carried you upstairs. You felt safe and warm in his arms, no longer alone. 

Damien brought you to what you assumed was his room and set you down gingerly on the bed. He then retrieved a black t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants from his drawers and placed them on the bed next to you. 

“Thank you Damien,” you reached out and laid your hand over his.

Damien sat down next to you, his shoulders slumping. You could feel the emotions warring within him. You knew he wanted to go back downstairs and drive a sword through your father for hurting you, but he also didn’t want to leave you alone. He was angry at himself as well, he knew if he hadn’t blocked you out he could have saved you from this pain.

_ You’re here now. _

Damien remained silent, but intertwined his fingers with yours. 

_ I forgive you Damien, it wasn’t your fault. _

_ I am sorry Beloved, I should have done something. _

_ You didn’t know. _

_ I should have. _

_ You’re here now, that’s all that matters. _


End file.
